Apparatus for dispensing small articles over a restricted area



J. .1. KELEHER 2,641,476 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SMALL ARTICLES OVER ARESTRICTED AREA June 9, 1953 Filed Jan. 14, 1948 s Sheets-Sheet 1 AiP/E? 5 INVENTOR. JfiMffJ FEM-W55 June 9, 1953 J J. KELEHER APPARATUS FORDISPENSING'SMALL ARTICLES OVER A RESTRICTED AREA Filed Jan. 14, 1948 3Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. .Jfl/WES J 515 /56 June 9, 1953 J. J. KELEHERAPPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SMALL ARTICLES OVER A RESTRICTED AREA 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 14, 1948 INVENTOR. JflMfj .J 4 51 6W5?Patented June 9, 1953 APPARATUS FQRDISPENSING SMALL ARTI- CLESQOVER-ABESTRIOTED AREA Jame-5.33. Keleher; Sacramento, Califz, assignorto: BrismmPrmincts;1110., Dayton, Ohio, 8360,1110

rationflof New-York ALppliicaticnLJannary 14, 1948, Serial No. 2;338

machine and thespheredispenser-is mounted on" orconnected with thestriping machine-in 1 the =rearof the binderapplying nozzle, so thatitisf located directly abovethe applied stripe of binder.- Heretoforesuch dispensers; for, the most part at-l'east, have includeda'rotata-ble element for discharging anddistributing? the. glassspheres, andthe quantitygof spheres distributed over a given length ofstripe was controlledby the'speed'at whichthat element rotated-L Theoperation and'control' of' such adispenser' re;-

quireda mechanism for driving the rotatable element, clutch means forstarting and stopping the rotation thereof and a change in gear ratiowhen the quantity of spheres distributed over a given length of' stripewas to be changed.

Consequently the cost of producing and main-,- :1;

taining'such' adispenseris high.

@ne object of the invention is to; provide a dispenserwhich dischargesand distributes the glass spheres without'the use of a movabl'eel'ement;

A further object of the invention is to; provide such adispenser-inwhich the discharge; and distribution: of; the spheres is eiiectedwholly: by gravity:

' A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser inwhichthe-di'scharge'of spheres is controlled by the opening and closing off arelatively small outlet;

A further objectof the invention is toprovide a dispenser whichdistributes the; spheres uni formlyover the stripe of binder andconfines the distribution thereof to the width of, the stripe; so thatthere isno Wastingyofi the spheres.

further'object ofthe invention is to' provide a dispenser'havingadjustable means for limit-'- ing'the extent to which theoutl'et may beopened, thereby enabling the quantity of beads distributed over agivenlength of" stripe to be quickly and easily changed.

mfunthen object ofthe invention isto provide 2% adispenser which canbemanufactured: at: a relatively low cost-and which can-bemaintained atlittle or no expense.

Otherobjects of the invention may: appear as the apparatus is describedin detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is: arear elevation, partly insection, of a dispenser embodying my invention; Fig: 2 is a sideelevation of such a dispenser, partly in section; Fig; 3 is a top planview'of the dispenser; 4- isa side elevation of a dispenser, including aportion of the. supporting structure therefor; and Fig; 5 is a, rearelevation of aportion of the supporting structure and of two dispensers.

In these drawings, I have illustrated one embodiment of my, inventionandhave shown the same as designed for. attachment to, a striping machine.of. a known construction, but it is to be understood that the dispenseras a whole, as-well astheseyeral parts, thereof, may" take various formsand that the, dispenser; may be propelledin various ways,withoutdepartingfrom the, spirit. of. the. invention. It is. to befurther understood that. the dispenser is not limited to the.dispensing, of 7 glass. spheres, commonly called beads, but may be used,with or with,- out modification,- for dispensing small. articles ofvarious kindseither for road Strip i for other purposes, and. the. term,beads. as here.- inafter, used, is intended to, include; any. articlescapable of. being, dispensed by the. claimed. apiparatus.

In theparticular:construction here illustrated the dispenser comprises abead. receptacle H) which is: preferably of relatively smallcapacityandis adapted to be conncctedvwith, a hopper, or other-bead container oflarger capacity.. As here shown thereceptacle-is cylindrical, in formandis provided: with means, suchas 'apertured ears. H, by which itmaybesecured to. a suitable base, in the present;instance an upright. plate,i2. adapted to, be mountedon or connected with a supporting structureandhaving at its upper, end .a rearwardly extending part or flange i3.The receptacle is provided in the, cylindrical wall thereof with anopening through which beads may be supplied thereto and with inlet chuteHi leading tothe opening and adapted to be connected as by. a suitableconduit it, with a source of'suppl'yof beads, such as the hopper iiishown in Figs. 4 audit. The receptacle is provided at its lowerend'with. an outlet through which the beads! may: be dis;- chargedtherefrom. Preferably the bottom: Wall ii of the receptacle is concaveinform and-has atitscenter a; ci'rcular outlet-opening I la. throughwhich the beads may move by gravity. This outlet is normally closed by amovable member, the opening and closing of which is under the control ofan operator at a station more or less remote from the dispenser. Themovable member is shown at l8 as located below the outlet and of such acharacter that it functions both as a valve member to control the flowof beads through the outlet and as a spreader to spread the beads whichare discharged through the outlet. It is preferably frusto-conical inform and the upper -end portion thereof is adapted to enter the outletand to engage a valve seat surrounding the outlet. This valve seat maybe the edge of' the'bottom wall but preferably the edge ofthebottom-wallabout the outlet is provided with a sealing member IQ, of rubber orother yieldablevmaterial;

which will firmly engage the inclined surface of the valve member so asto prevent the passage of beads when the valve member is in its closedposition, it being remembered that the beadssusedfor 'road striping-areoft'en 'as small as .004 of' an inch in diameter. The valve member issupported and :actuated by a rodl2ll securedtotheupper end thereof andextending upwardly through'the out,-

'let and through a bearing-2| in thetop wallof the bead receptacle, therod being actuatedin a manner which. will be hereinafter described. VThe distribution of beads discharged through the outlet is'confined toarestrictedarea, inthe present instance to a width closely approximatingthe width of the stripe of binder to which the beads-are applied. gForthis purpose askirt. 22. preferably circular inform, is supported about.the valve memberwith-itsupper edge slightly abovetheoutlet 11candwithitslower edge extending downwardly belowthe lower edge of the.valve member. .;The skirt is preferably carried by the, receptacle II), which. extends slightly .below the base plate [2; and hasat its. topan inwardly,

extending portion 23 provided with an annular fiangelll whichextendsupwardly about the low- .er p'ortion of the receptacle. In theparticular construction illustrated the bottom wall I1 is separatefromthe body of the receptacle and is provided with a flange 25 whichisrigidly supported inthe lower portion ,of, the flange24 of the skirtin abutting contact with the lower edge of the ing the valve member orspreader will fall upon the bafiies and will be carried, inwardlytoward'the center of the stripe and the beads as a whole will beuniformly distributed over the stripe The opening and closing movementsofthe valve member may be controlled in any suitable manner. Preferablythe valve member is normally yieldably retained in its closed positionand power means are provided for moving the same to its open position.In the present construction the rod 20 extends upwardly above thereceptacle into a fluid cylinder 21, mounted on the .upper portion ofthe base plate [2, and is connected with a piston 28 within thecylinder. finedbetween the lower 'end of the cylinder and A spring 29conthe piston urges the latter upwardly and thus yieldably maintains thevalve member on its seat. A fluid conduit 30 is connected with thecylinder above the piston and is adapted to be connected, as by afitting 3|, with a valve controlled conduit, not shown, which extends toa source of supply of fluid, preferably air, underpressure. Thus uponthe admission of air to the cylinder'the valve is moved to outletopening position and is retained in that position as long as the airpressure on the piston ismaintained. When the air pressure is cut ofithespring returns the valve member to outlet closing position.

.Means are provided for positively limiting the opening movement of thevalve member so that the outlet will have a fixed capacity so long asthe air pressureon the piston is maintained. To enable the capacity ofthe outlet to be varied and-to thereby increase or decrease the quantityof beads distributed over a given area, the means o im i -rt en ne mo eent of, .the;va1v -member=. s:,.made ;;adiu tab e-@;:I t ienn e menthere shown--a vertically movable adjusting rod 3g is mounted in abearing 33 secured to the y ateqan e tend -up ardly thr eh therearwardly extending part I3 of the base plate. S u d; mt a1 wer P tn-.Q t is diu ti e r s;- st p .34; vi p n e ,5 h ou h which the rod -2ll; extends,-an;d the rod 2D -;has apart arranged abovethe stop 34,- andofgreater dthv he he-. eninaea a oal t the w war m vem n 11 r with r ionto. e s In t e res nt i anc ,te a ita e a sembl e-.r@d: rm d- :i r wo pas 7 whi areconnected-one to the other bya coupling de-, vice 36; andthiscoupling device is; utilized as the p t 1-0 7: tqno rthe-rod .0; whi hcop with th 114 =,Qnrl h ca iv t i t ha P@ i radiu t e-irq -whichr dsabove the part1 3' of the ba e plate is-proyided with h e w il and a. nuB mo n d. orig-this threaded portion of the rod and contacts with theupper surfaee of the part [3 of the base plate. -A- spring 39' confinedbetween the--stop 34 and the bearing 33 urges, the" adjusting roddownwardly. The rotation .of ,the nut ,33 in one direction; will movethe stop 34 upwardly and the rotation; of, the'nut in thecther directionwill permit the adjusting rod-to be moved down; wardly-by thespring 39,thus enabling the stop to be moved t and retained rin an exactly-ad-vjusted, position; 513 facilitate the adjustment. or the stopthemut 38has onqits; top surface a sr es: 9?; era u ii ns- 0, w th. wh c oo e afixed pointer 4|. The graduations are prefer ably calibrated in. miles:per hour; so that the li b fi9n p the bead an be- -r --a e fiie z i rhe n ed atw ch .ihe smpmeiit chine, or other movable support for thesdisse ses mqr sfllio av d ihepossbnity'bf t'fi adjustinglnutfibeinginadvertently-rotated,,by the, vibration vpf tl' e striping machineor other* wise, there is provided a positivelock-forth nut In -thearrangement shownflthe threaded end porti on .of the adjusting rod 32isproyided wither axial bore 42 andQa-pin 43. extends loosely throughone conyolution, 0f] the thread?! into thebore 52;. .A; screw M,"having, a knurled head ta threaded into. the bore: 42. nd is mean atits-lowenend with ataperedyportiondt adapted to engage the I pin- 43 andmove. the same .:-0ut-' wardlyto cause :the-outer'aend 'of the pin-Itofirmly .engage the-nut 3'8 and lock, the latter against movement. After--thestop 34-hasbeen adjusted 'the screw *44 moved-downwardly= tosteamers locli the nutz- Preferably the ta'pered end of tlie screw 474'-is provided with an: enlargement or. flange t which -will engagethe-pin= 43 andjprevent the screw from being' moved outwardly far enough torelease the'pin 'and permit it to es cape from the opening! inwhichiti'i's supported Thea'base-plate I2 is; provided with forwardlyextending lugs 48 -1537 which: it may be-connected; by aisupportingmember on draft-"bar W, with a partof" the striping" machine or othervehicle to which thedispenser is attachedz- In Figs; 4" and 5' -I haveshown cne'means' for-supporting the dispenser and attaching-= thesameto'-- the propelling vehicle; As there showrr two dis-- pensers areconnected side by side 1 to' s-imultaneously apply the beads toparallelstripes of binderon=:the highway; Thetwo" dispensingunits are ri'g-idlyconnected one with the other'bya cross bar Strand are-both connectedwith a singlehop per l 6 Supported'f'rom the cross" bar Eil' i'sazwheel-*5 which supports the-hopperand thus provides a rear" support forthe dispensers; the fcrward portionsof' which are connected with andsupported by the draft -bar'or hitchby 'which they: are connected withthe-propellingvehiclea- While I haveshown anddescribed one= embodimentofmy'invention I wish it tube underst'ood" tha-t I do not desire-tubelimited tothe details thereof, asvarious modifications may-0c cur to aperson skilleddn the art.

I-I'aving now fully describedmy inventionwha-t I'- claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is? An apparatus fordispensing-"beads'overjan elongate narrow" area of" a'roadsurface,comprising a bead receptacle. adapted to be connect'ed with avehicleformovement therewith and having in the bottom thereof an'outlet" throughrwhi'ch beadstmay how by gravity, a movable valve memberto open and close said outlet, saith-valve members-having a; partext'endingabout and laterally beyond: said outlet into: the path of thebeads discharged through said outlet to. deflect" and spread said beads;a skirt connected with said receptacle; extendingdownwardly; beyond the'same irr laterally spaced relation; to saidoutlet and terminatingadjacent to, but spaced from said read surfaceto limit the spread ofsaid beads to arr area" defined:,by said' skirt, baflies-carried byandextendi'ng inwardly from said skirt'belowsaidwalve member todistribute said beadssubstantiallyuniformlyover saidiarea, anactuatingdevice connected with saifclivalve and'ibiased'in valveciosingdirectibn, andiapower operated device acting through saidactuating member to move said valve member to outlet opening position.

2. An apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area of aroad surface, comprising a bead receptacle adapted to be supported on avehicle for movement therewith and having in the bottom thereof anoutlet for beads, a frusto-conical valve member to open and close saidoutlet, the lower portion of which is of a diameter materially greaterthan the diameter of said outlet to laterally deflect and spread beadsdischarged from said outlet, a skirt connected with said receptacleabout said outlet, extending downwardly therefrom to a position adjacentto but spaced from said road surface and of a diameter greater than themaximum diameter of said valve member to limit the spread of said beads,a baflie supported in said skirt beneath said valve member to spreadsaid beads uniformly over an area defined by said baffle, an

actuatinwmemben-connected with: said valve andi biased outlet closing:direction-,1 and: as power:-

elongatenarrow area of a road surface, come prising a bead: receptacleadapted to be supzported on a vehicle for movement: therewith: andhaving in the bottom thereof anuoutletrfon heads, a frusto-conical'valve..memberto open and close said? outlet, the lower por-tion'v of'whiclr is of a diameter: materially greater than the diameterofsaith-outletto laterally deflect and spread the beads di'schargedfromsaid outlet; a skirt connected withrsaid receptacle about said outer,extending downwardl y therefrom to-a position adjacent: to but spacedfrom: said road surface and; of" a diameter greaterthan the maximum:diameter of said valve membertolimit the spread of said beads,relatively narrow; inwardly taperedand downwardly' inclinedbaffiessupported on said skirt to distribute said bead"'s-.,.over' the areadefined" by said: slfi'rti an actuating-member connected with said valve'and biased in outlet closing direction, and a power operated? deviceacting; through saidactuating member to=-move said valvermember inout-let opening: direction.

4:. In an apparatus-for dispensing:- beadsover an elongate narrowareaofa road surface;- a supporting structure: adapted to be connectedwith a vehicl'e for: movement therewith ahead receptacle supported said:structure and having a bottom-wall provided with -an outlet;v anactuating rod" extending: through said re:- ceptacle, va lve. -memberconnected with said rodl'b'el'ow said outlet for movement thereby to'ward-and from said outlet to cont-rol the: flow of"beads throughsaidoutlet'; a"resil'ient device supported by said; structure and acting onsaid rod ab'ovesaid receptacle to constantly urge? said valve: towardsaid outlet; a power opera-ted device mounted on said supporting"structure above said 'receptacleand actingon said rod to move said'valve toward 'its open-position; a skirt con nected! with Receptacleradially spaced relation to: said 011171617, extending== downwardlybeyond said valve member and" terminating I in narrowly spacedrelationto said road surface, said valvemember having a circumferentialpartext-ending outwardly beyond said outlet inthe path ofbeadsdischargedfrom said outlet t'o deflect said beads toward saidskirt;and baiiies?supported in said-shirt to distribute mid beadssubstantially uniformly over the area de fined by said skirt.

5. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area ofa road surface, a supporting structure adapted to be connected with avehicle for mcvement therewith, a bead receptacle supported by saidstructure and having a bottom wall provided with an outlet, an actuatingrod extending through said receptacle, a valve member connected withsaid rod below said outlet for movement thereby toward and from saidoutlet to control the flow of beads through said outlet, a resilientdevice supported by said structure and acting on said rod above saidreceptacle to constantly urge said valve toward said outlet, a poweroperated device mounted on said supporting structure above saidreceptacle and acting on said rod to move said valve toward its openposition, a skirt connected with said receptacle in laterally spaced,irelationiito said outlet" and *qextending. downwardly cbeyond"saidaxvalvej member to a position adjacent gtoybu't spaced from saidroad surface, said.valve;.niemb erv;having a circumferential partextending outwardly beyond said outlet in the pathgof beads dischargedfrom saidtoutlet to deflect said beads toward said skirt, bafilesarranged in-said skirtto d-istribute said beads; substantially uniformlyover ,the area defined :by said skirt, anda conduit to connect saidreceptacle witha source of beads and to deliver :beads to saidreceptacle while said valve member -is,in,its open-position.

'6. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over an elongate narrow area ofa road surface, a supporting structure adapted to beuconnected With- ,8.vehicle for movement-therewith, a bead receptacle supported by saidstructure andhaving abottom. wall provided with an outlet, an actuatingrod extending through said receptacle, a valve member connected'withsaid rod below said outlet for movementthereby toward and from "saidoutlet to control the flow of beads through said outlet, aresilientdevice supported by said structure and acting on said rod above saidreceptacle to constantlyurge said valve toward, said outlet, a poweroperated device mounted on said supporting structure above saidreceptacle and acting on said rod to move said valve toward its openposition, a skirt connected with said receptacle inlaterally spacedrela: tion tosaid outlet and extending downwardly beyond said valvemember to a position adjacent to but spaced from said road surface, saidvalve member' having a circumferential part extending outwardlybeyondsaid outlet in the path of beads discharged from saidoutlet to deflectsaid beads toward said skirt, baffles arranged in said skirt todistribute said beads substantially uniformlyover the area defined bysaid skirt, and parts connectedrespectively with said rod and with saidstructure and co-operating to limit the movement of ,said actuating rodby said power operated device.

7. In an apparatus for dispensing beads over a narrowarea of a surfaceto which beads are to be applied, a bead receptacle having an outletinthe bottom thereof, means for supporting said receptacle for movementover the surface to which beads are to be applied, a valvemembersupported below said receptacle for movement toward and from saidoutlet and having'a part extending laterally beyond all sides of saidoutlet into the path of the beads discharged through, said outlet todeflect said beads,v laterally) ;withirelati0n 1301 said outlj i ra rod.connected with; said valve-member and-ex: tendingthrough said-outlet,to -a position above said receptaclameans connected -.with said rodabove said receptacle,,for biasing said rod in outlet closingdirection," means connected: with saidrod above said-receptacle for.moving said valvemember inoutlet; opening direction, -a skirt connectedwith; said;r eceptacle-.and,--ex-' tending ;do wnw ardly aboutyandbeyond; said valvemember, in laterally spaced relation thereto 'to limitthe spread of the beads by said valve member, and narrow bafflesextending inwardly and downwardly fromsaid skirt ;to points beneath saidvalve member, eachbaflie having inwardly converging lateral edges.

-8. In an apparatus for dispensing wbeads over a-narrow area'of'asurface to which'beads are to be'applied, a bead receptacle having anoutlet in the bottom; thereof, means for sup.- portingsaid receptacleformovement over the surfaceto which beads are, to be applied, a rodmovablymounted upon said supporting means and extending through saidreceptacle and said outlet; a frusto-conical valve member connected atits smaller end with said rod for movement thereby into and out ofoutlet closing position, spring means continuously urging said rod inoutlet closing direction, power operated means on said supporting meansfor movingsaid rod in outlet opening direction, a circular skirtconnected with said receptacle and extending downwardly beyond saidvalve member in :radially spaced-relation thereto, and bead distributingbafiies supported on and extendingv inwardly from the circular wall ofsaid skirt into the paths of the beads discharged over said valvemember. I

JAMES J. KELEHER; zReferences Cited inure file of this patent I UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date 539,812 Hill May 28, 1895 883,564Parrish Mar. 31, 1908 I 933,699 De Laurence "Sept. 7, 1909 1,323,663 1Weber Dec. 2, 1919 1,796,032 Kestel Mar. 10, 1931 1,825,066 Irwin Sept.29,1931- 2,293,26 9 Rufus Aug. 18, 1942 2,319,865 James J May 25,19432,369,983 Rodli. et, a1. Feb. 20, 1945. 2,407,628 Clark Sept, 17, 19462,508,195

Seaman et a1; May 16, 1950

